The Draconis Spirit Caverns were a name spoken with both reverence and fear. Legends told of the treasures they held—ancient relics, spiritual beasts, and the untamed energy of the Celestial Dragon Pearl. But the path was perilous, littered with traps and guardians designed to test the mettle of even the strongest cultivators.
Jiang Chen stood at the entrance, his gaze steady. Behind him, a small crowd of sect members had gathered, their whispers a mixture of curiosity and doubt.
"Does he really think he can survive the caverns? He's only just recovered."
"I heard his core was shattered. How could he possibly…"
The murmurs didn't bother Jiang Chen. If anything, they strengthened his resolve. These people doubted him, and for good reason. But he would prove them wrong.
A voice broke through the crowd. "Cousin."
Jiang Chen turned to see Jiang Tianyu approaching, his robes immaculate, his expression smug. The sight of him stirred a storm of emotions in Jiang Chen—anger, disdain, and a flicker of satisfaction at the challenge ahead.
"Tianyu," Jiang Chen said evenly.
"You're brave to attempt this trial," Tianyu said, his tone laced with mockery. "But bravery won't save you in the caverns."
Jiang Chen smirked. "Neither will arrogance."
Tianyu's eyes flashed, but he said nothing more, stepping back to join the onlookers. Jiang Chen turned his attention to the entrance, the dark maw of the cavern seeming to beckon him forward.
He took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The first thing he noticed was the silence. The air was thick, heavy with the weight of untamed spiritual energy. Each step echoed faintly, the sound swallowed by the oppressive darkness. Jiang Chen summoned a faint glow of energy, illuminating the path ahead.
The walls of the cavern pulsed faintly, veins of spiritual jade running through the rock. It was beautiful, but Jiang Chen's instincts warned him of the dangers lurking within.
A low growl broke the silence. Jiang Chen froze, his senses sharpening. From the shadows, a creature emerged—a Shadowfang Beast, its black fur shimmering like oil, its eyes glowing with predatory hunger.
Jiang Chen's mind raced. The Shadowfang was a mid-tier spiritual beast, fast and deadly. The original Jiang Chen would have struggled against it, but he was not the original.
The beast lunged, its claws slicing through the air. Jiang Chen sidestepped, his movements fluid, and struck out with a burst of energy. The impact staggered the creature, but it recovered quickly, circling him with predatory precision.
This will take more than brute force, Jiang Chen thought.
He focused inward, drawing deeper on the power within him. A faint aura began to form around him, the silhouette of a dragon coiling protectively. The beast hesitated, sensing the shift in energy.
Jiang Chen struck again, this time with precision. The dragon aura lashed out, striking the Shadowfang with a force that sent it crashing into the cavern wall. It let out a final, pitiful growl before collapsing.
Jiang Chen exhaled, his heart pounding. The fight had been brief, but it had tested his limits. He knelt beside the beast, retrieving a small jade stone from its chest—a spiritual core, valuable for cultivation.
As he stood, the cavern seemed to shift around him, the path ahead dark and foreboding. But Jiang Chen's resolve burned brighter than ever.
This was only the beginning.